It seems to me that there is a growing critical mass of natural beekeepers in Ireland, I know Aoife has a group in Co Donegal, we had a group trained in Biodynamic Beekeeping by Michael Weiler a few years ago, and now the 15 people who attended this weekend's course in Co Wicklow.

Your site looks good, hopefully it will grow in the coming months after the success of the course.
I had planned to come up for the course with a few others beekeepers (some of us have HTBs and Warres) down here in Kerry but sadly it wasnt possible. I enjoyed listening to Phils podcast of the day though.
I hope some sort of event can be organised in the coming years to facilitate networking and communication between natural beekeepers around Ireland it would be most beneficial for all of us I think - a sort of natural/sustainable/permaculture alternative to Gormanstown summer school. There a rising tide of beekeepers who are beginning to question modern beekeeping methods in Ireland, in no small part due to the economic state of the country and the ridiclous costs involved in modern beekeeping, its pretty much cheaper now for the majority of beekeepers here to buy your honey from a beekeeper than to produce it yourself using modern beekeeping equipment. And thats only the economic side of things, nevermind all of the honey-bee health issues and honey-quality issues.

I myself know of beekeepers like this in Kerry, Cork, Limerick, Clare and Athlone, I can only imagine the real numbers out there. It is definitely necessary to create some sort of network. People are coming from all different sort of beekeeping backgrounds - some with nationals, commericals or langs and who want to keep a TBH or two or some who have transitioned all there colonies to TBHs and some who favour warres over htbhs or vice versa. Im sure if some sort of network can be established we can all learn from eachother. We certainly are not going to get any support from our local associations, as I learned the hard way myself.

If I might make a small suggestion for your site (bees.ie) - it is in real need of graphical improvement and perhaps a more user-friendly interface, but besides that most excellent - will be joining up myself asap.

Hi Frost, I think some sort of association should be set up (a bit more formal than what you have on your site if you dont mind me saying) but first obviously a national conference type event (perhaps in a hotel) - guest speakers etc, with a dedicated effort on our own parts to secure as many beekeepers of like mind to attend, some sort of colourful leaflet in the post would be a good idea to start.
Perhaps at such an event, a constitution could be drawn up, a set of goals and aims set down and elected officers appointed (chairperson, secretary, education etc) and perhaps similar meetings set for once or twice a year in some central city/town - not Dublin...lol

But thats obviously just a few ideas. Im sure there are much better ones out there.

Theres obviously a lot of problems with another national association. Fibka obviously have things like insurance cover etc, and that small buckfast association apparently has insurance from some german crowd - weird site if you ever come across it, half the site is in german (the owner/founder is german) you should see the attacks she/he makes on fibka....wow

Anyways I digress, you can PM me for contact details if you like, like I say I know a few beekeepers who might be interested and many more who are interested in starting beekeeping, but in a more sustainable, bee- friendly fashion.

And I suppose it goes without saying that all this has to come from core-group of dedicated people or one very dedicated person, for it to work, so we will have to take it to the next level if we decide to go ahead with it.

Friends of the Bees Ireland will be launched from its RoI base fairly soon and could become a focus if you want it to. We may be able to negotiate insurance using the UK policy as leverage. I will announce more when I know it, but PM me if you want to discuss.

Friends of the Bees Ireland will be launched from its RoI base fairly soon and could become a focus if you want it to. We may be able to negotiate insurance using the UK policy as leverage. I will announce more when I know it, but PM me if you want to discuss.

Thanks Phil that gives me great hope. Its very kind of you to help us all out.

Hello Mike,
there is not much happening on your site yet. I have sent out a mailer to members of the Banner Beekeepers in Co Clare to see if there is any interest in the hTBH.
I will mention your website for sure.
Thanks for your efforts and I hope there will be a few likeminded beeks in Ireland soon that can network and help others.
Stiofan

This spring the Chairman of the Banner Beeks was here to buy some hatching eggs (of chickens!) and by chance beekeeping came up. He offered to do a split from our National (broodbox only) into the Warré, so I think there may be fertile ground alright.
Incidentally he was also quite taken by the brimming health and fat bees of the completely unmanaged colony.

Re Mike's forum: To be quite honest, fora need critical mass and between this forum and the Warré list (and perhaps there are other TBH lists out there?) I wonder is an Irish forum going to gather momentum, especially since there are many UK beeks present here and conditions are so similar and given that it is difficult to achieve critical mass for anything at all on this small isle _________________To Bee.

Re Mike's forum: To be quite honest, fora need critical mass and between this forum and the Warré list (and perhaps there are other TBH lists out there?) I wonder is an Irish forum going to gather momentum, especially since there are many UK beeks present here and conditions are so similar and given that it is difficult to achieve critical mass for anything at all on this small isle

Its true I've thought of this myself, however there are clearly enough of us out there to warrant some sort of a...support group lol

Perhaps a good idea would be to start an emailing list. I simply havent the time to manage such a thing, but perhaps someone else can? Then perhaps something can grow out of that.

I can see no reason why we cant have an annual meeting of all like minded beekeepers in the country and if I might add the age range of the natural-orientated beekeepers and those interested that I know is younger than those attending Gormanstown!! Im in my twenties and I know two others in their early thirties.
Perhaps its because as a generation we are less attached to traditions of the past (although I respect good traditions, but not merely because they are traditions) and more inclined to question than to accept what we are told blindly.

These really are incredibly simple to setup and run, they pretty much run themselves. Should you all decide you want one, but think you don't have the "ability" to do it then please just ask and I'll set one up for you._________________Ciemon

We could create a Yahoo group which would allow anyone to email all members and which can be used as a platform to exchange files, pictures, event info, etc.
I am happy to set one up and moderate it. Please anybody interested send me a PM with your email address and I will send an email back with an invitation to that group.

I know it is very short notice but a few likeminded beeks are meeting at Irish Seed Savers in Feakle, East Clare tomorrow, Tuesday August 21st at 6 p.m.
Just in case anybody in the vicinity was interested.
Stiofan

Ireland is famous for having lots of pure Amm (Black Bee) enthusiasts, which overlaps natural beekeeping principles, so you will probably get a lot of interest. The trick will be, though, not just building numbers but getting people who will do stuff!

About 2/3 of the natural beekeeping groups seem to sputter out eventually, largely because one person is key and they have a lifestyle change (job move, etc) and can no longer do the admin.

Conserving wild bees

Research suggests that bumble bee boxes have a very low success rate in actually attracting bees into them. We find that if you create an environment where first of all you can attract mice inside, such as a pile of stones, a drystone wall, paving slabs with intentionally made cavities underneath, this will increase the success rate.

Most bumble bee species need a dry space about the size a football, with a narrow entrance tunnel approximately 2cm in diameter and 20 cm long. Most species nest underground along the base of a linear feature such as a hedge or wall. Sites need to be sheltered and out of direct sunlight.